WILKES-BARRE, PA (December 22, 2022) -- In their final competition of the 2022 calendar year, the King's College wrestling team saw a handful of Monarchs compete in the Wilkes Open hosted by Wilkes University on Thursday.
 
In the 125-pound bracket, the Monarchs saw Patrick Horvath earn a first-round bye before falling in the round of 16 by an 8-0 major decision to Benjamin Monn of George Mason. Horvath would then pick up his first win of the day in the consolation round of eight as he posted a pin in 4:30 over Lucas Johnson from Williams. Horvath's day would then conclude in the following match up as he dropped a 10-1 major decision to Penn College's Ryan Berstler.
 
King's had two competitors at 133 as both Cole Anderson and Nick Germano battled through the bracket. Both earned a first-round bye before Anderson dropped a round of 16 bout to Franklin and Marshall's Brandon Sauter by a major decision score of 17-5. He then fought valiantly as Anderson jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the consolation bracket, but eventually dropped a 7-3 decision to Dillon Messick of the Apprentice School.
 
Germano's day began with a tough contest against Franklin and Marshall's Aidan O'Shea as he fell by a 12-0 major decision. The sophomore bounced back to pick up a win in the consolation round of 16, taking advantage of a 3-0 third period, with a 9-5 decision win over Penn College's CJ Trimber. Germano would then take on a tough opponent in Bruno Alves from the Apprentice School, falling by a major decision score of 12-2.
 
Bret Murphy then continued the action for the Monarchs in the 157 bracket, earning a decisive 16-0 technical fall win in just 2:34 over Penn College's Michael Molloy. Murphy competed in a gritty contest with the top-seeded Dylan Weaver from Rutgers but fell by an 8-2 decision. After a tough fight in his previous match, Murphy saw his afternoon end as Teagan Hendricks posted a win by fall.
 
At 184, Bill Grace also enjoyed a first-round bye before taking on fourth-seeded Michael Toranzo from Rutgers and dropped a 3-1 decision. Grace then fell in a tough consolation bracket matchup to Marymount's Eric Washington by a fall.
 
King's will take a pause from competition as they enjoy the holiday break before returning to the mats on January 11 as they are set to take on Bloomsburg University and East Stroudsburg University in the Bloomsburg Duals.